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Homeboyz Foundation Launches Coding Course For Kids

May 5th, 2016 2 min read

By NAIROBI NEWS REPORTER

@Nairobi_News

Homeboyz Foundation has just introduced a game coding course targeting kids aged between four and 15 years. The beginner smart game coding programme seeks to demystify coding and spark an interest in computer science among children and the youth.

“Coding is at the core of constructing knowledge, it is the new literacy. Experts on early childhood development do concur that kids at the psycho-social development stage are more likely to absorb what they learn,” said Myke Rabar, a director at Homeboyz Foundation.

“We have just completed the debut course and we will be running a similar programme during every holiday in conjunction with select software partners and Y-Hub, a youth portal equipped with training tools and short courses,” said Mr. Rabar.

He noted that there was an increasing demand for programmers globally with 24% of the respondents to Computerworld’s 2015 Forecast survey saying their companies plan to add more Information Technology staff.

“As our world continues its evolution into one that is mobile-first and cloud-first, it is important for educators in the country to seriously consider offering coding as a subject. Interested participants will register via yhub.co.ke for the camp,” He added.

With the presence of technology increasingly becoming universal, there is a paradigm shift in the way educators are using technology. Undoubtedly, to flourish in tomorrow’s world, the young ones must now be equipped with the ability to design, create and express themselves through digital platforms.

“We want to build their smarts early because of the now ubiquitous nature of computers and mobile devices. The Government’s laptops project is a clear indicator that there is going to a fundamental shift in the role of technology in education,” said Mr. Rabar.

During the training Camp, the curriculum will meet ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) principles such innovation, research and information fluency among others. Core the camps mission is creating immersive and inclusive experiences that inspire lifelong learning, stimulating development of essential life skills.

Developing elementary computational thinking builds problem-solving skills that can help children in every facet of life. “This triggers and expands a child’s innate ability to explore, evaluate, hypothesize and innovate with little guidance, this can be a boon for them when they face stressful situations,” explained Mr. Rabar.